Jay Critch Bashes XXL After 2018 Freshman List Reveal

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Rapper Jay Critch performs onstage during day two of the Rolling Loud Festival at NOS Events Center on December 17, 2017 in San Bernardino, California.
Jay Critch doesn't seem pleased that he wasn't included.

The XXL Freshmen List is a stepping stone for emerging rappers to finally get the spotlight they deserve. A lot of the people that end up on the list become the next big thing in hip hop. However, the list doesn't dictate who ends up doing big things in their careers. A$AP Rocky turned down the opportunity and still became one of the biggest rappers in the game. Nonetheless, it's clear some rappers feel a type of way about not getting on the cover and Jay Critch was very vocal about how he felt about getting left off.

Jay Critch clearly wasn't feeling the fact that he didn't make the XXL Freshmen List this year. Shortly after the announcement, he took to Twitter and wrote, "Fuck XXL." Critch was one of the many people to pitch themselves for the Freshmen List. Hopefully, he'll be able to land it next year. Critch only began to really bubble up within the past few months and there's a strong chance we'll witness his career take off by the end of the year.

Maybe there might be more politics behind the chance to exclude him off of the Freshmen List. Rich The Kid, who signed Critch to the Rich Forever label, previously said that he "happy declined" a position on the cover. Lil Skies also declined the cover claimed the cover was rigged.  Regardless of the Freshmen List, these rappers look like they will have successful careers ahead of them regardless. 


About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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